Authentic Chicken Shawarma

I knew I could do hummus at home (see previous post), but what about my favorite Lebanese dish - chicken shawarma?  A little careful research lead me to www.dedemed.com a great collection of demonstration videos by Dede on cooking Mediterranean foods.  Her recipes are simple and very authentic.  The following recipe is her version of chicken shawarma.  My variation is to use boneless dark thigh meat instead of chicken breasts, marinating is longer (8+ hours) and grilling it until done.  Yummm!  The garlic sauce (homemade garlic mayo) is a MUST.

2 boneless (skinless) chicken breasts, cut into thins strips
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Mediterranean (Greek) yogurt
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp 7 spices (found in Arabic food stores or make it at home yourself)
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
3 tbs olive oil
Pita, kabees(pink pickled turnips), pickles and garlic sauce for sandwich.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, cover and let marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat pan and add 3 tbs olive oil, add chicken and let cook for 10 minutes until chicken browns, cook for an additional 2 minutes if necessary to brown. To make sandwich, use pita bread, spread garlic sauce (use the link or buy some locally) on pita, add chicken, kabees and pickles (you can add tomatoes and lettuce if desired). Roll sandwich and press in the grill press to make sandwich crispy for 3 minutes. Enjoy with fries or salad.

Hummus

If there is such a thing as "Arab America", Dearborn, Michigan may be the closest thing it has to a capital. Twenty-two years ago, our first apartment was an extremely small upper flat located on it's eastside. Shawarma, kibbeh,  tabouli, and hummus was always nearby, fresh, and delicious.  Arabic food is still one of our favorite ethnic cuisines.  I experienced some sticker shock last week when I bought a "cheap" brand of garlic hummus (for close to $6.00/lb) at the grocery store. Wow! I used to be able to get superior stuff from any local Middle Eastern restaurant but now none are conveniently close enough.  I remember a recipe my brother Bob once made for us that was tons better than what came out of the plastic tub, so I called him to re-check the recipe.  He came through with this one ~ simple, inexpensive (about half the price) and very, very, good!  This recipe was given to him over twenty years ago from a friend who was born in Iraq. It is exactly the way his family made it in Bagdad. Garlic lovers (like my family) can step it up with an additional clove or two if they dare.  (And if you are anywhere near my old neighborhod in east Dearborn, the absolutely best pita in the world comes from the New Yasmeen Bakery on Warren Avenue.)

2 - 16 oz. cans chick (garbanzo) peas
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
¼ cups olive oil
⅓ cup (or less to taste) lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic (or 2 if you like more)

Drain chickpeas but reserve some of the liquid. Blend ingredients in food processor or blender. Add enough reserved liquid to bring to desired consistency. More lemon juice may also be added to taste. Spread the hummus on a shallow platter, drizzle it with good extra virgin olive oil and serve it along with pita bread and thinly sliced onions